Presented by The SONA Foundation with our Backline partner, this month's Fireside Chat topic explores Black Experience with hit songwriter Courtney Harrell and GRAMMY-winner Dr. Andrae Alexander.

We will also be joined by Clinical Counselor, Dr. William Washington, and Backline Community Manager, songwriter, and podcast host, Terra Lopez.

Join us live every month to participate in the chat and contribute to the conversation.

ABOUT COURTNEY HARRELL
Courtney Harrell is a Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter who has performed with and penned hits for Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum artists such as Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and many more. Her current chart-topping hit is “Snap” by Rosa Lynn. Courtney was a semi-finalist on The Voice and now works as a music producer on NBC’s AMERICA’S GOT TALENT.

Courtney Harrell has penned songs for Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland, Mary J. Blige, and many more. Her work has been featured on several hit films and television shows, including Grey’s Anatomy, Think Like a Man, and Star, and her success has led to a Grammy Award and multiple nominations.

Harrell put her first love and dreams of singing on hold after life led her down an unexpected path: young motherhood. While focusing on raising her son, she went on to build a successful career as a songwriter, writing tunes for some of today’s biggest stars. Days after her son’s high school graduation in 2016, she joined the cast of the Emmy-winning show The Voice. Her standout blind audition performance of “Let It Go” was her first time singing publicly in 15 years, and her story and incredible voice captured the hearts of America, landing her a coveted position in the top 10 and later a spot as a coach on Fox Network’s No. 1 trending show, The Four: Battle for Stardom. She is currently a casting producer for America's Got Talent. In addition, her occupation as a mother led her to become a music teacher for the Boston Public Schools, where she found the purpose of her life's work.

Using humor, truth, and vulnerability, Harrell shares her journey from welfare to wealth, empowering her audience with truth, strength, and the courage to live fully in the face of fear and uncertainty.

ABOUT DR. ANDRAE ALEXANDER
Dr. Andrae Alexander, a GRAMMY-winning musician and USC professor, moved to Los Angeles in 2009 from Maryland. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy Band of Washington, D.C., he is also an Amazon best-selling author of the book, “Build Your Music Career From Scratch,” now in its second edition. An internationally traveled musician and clinician on the subjects of the music industry and music production, Andrae has been to over 40 countries.

As a musician, composer and consultant, he has worked on projects such as Empire, Detroit (the film) and the soundtrack of The Birth of a Nation. Among the artists he has worked with are NeYo, BlackBear, George Drakoulias, Swae Lee, Mellissa Ethridge, Allee Willis, Meek Mills, Pusha-T, Kanye West, Jesse J., Rodney Jerkins, Lamont Dozier and No I.D. In 2022 Andrae shared co-writing credits on Jon Batiste’s GRAMMY-winning Album Of The Year.

To the academic setting, Andrae brings real-world experience. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, a Master of Arts in Music Industry Administration and is in the process of completing a PhD. Andrae is currently a voting member of both the Recording Academy and the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a faculty member of USC’s Thornton School of Music in the Music Industry Department. Prior to USC, Andrae taught courses on the music business, production, composition and programming at the LA Film School in Hollywood.

Being a proponent of philanthropy, Andrae has worked with non-profits to use music as a tool for social rehabilitation in the homeless community and to serve underserved grade school children, where music has been removed from their school’s curriculum. The Amazing Grace Conservatory (AGC), under the direction of Wendy Raquel Robinson, and Urban Possibilities, under the direction of Eyvette Jones-Johnson, are the other two non-profits that he currently serves in addition to SONA.

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